Two Tickets to Vegas
by B.Cullen
Summary: Lucas knows as well as everyone else that he's been living a lie. He's determined to change his life, but will he leave Tree Hill forever?
1. The Facade

He sat in the busy airport, glancing through the masses of commuters and people headed out of Tree Hill. Some of them left for vacation, a little time away from the lives they had grown accustomed to. Other's left to visit friends or family who'd long since left the world of sleepy towns and even sleepier lives. And there were other still, others like him, who contemplated leaving forever. People who wanted to get on their planes and never look back for a second. People who had something they wanted to get away from, or something they wanted to get away to.

Forever.

Forever was word that had bounced around his head all day. Each second that passed, the word grew louder. It twisted and turned and reverberated through his brain. He'd said it backwards, forwards, sideways and up, and no matter how many times he'd said it in his mind, he'd still found himself afraid to pick up the phone and say it aloud. His lips and tongue longed to taste the sweet words. Words that he'd wanted to say for so long but hadn't. He'd tried to cover it up, tried to bury it underneath what everyone else had already figured out was nothing more than a façade.

A Façade.

A lie. A front. Nothing more than a way to run away from the truth. Truth was he _was_ in love. He'd pressed that fact so many times. He'd confidently told Haley, Argued the fact with Nathan, assured and reassured Lindsey that his love was true and pure. All that couldn't change the fact that though he did feel the intense emotions that he'd described to each and every person he loved, he didn't feel them for Lindsey. He pretended to. In fact, he'd been pretending for so long that parts of him started believing that he did love Lindsey.

When he'd finished his second book and stared at the complete pages, pouring over the words like they were written by someone else, he'd pretended they were a work of fiction. He knew better now. He'd known better then. It wasn't until the wedding when Lindsey had asked him about the day he'd first spoken to Peyton, that the flood of realization washed over him. Crashing into his heart like waves. Waves of regret and of missed opportunities.

It was then that he'd realized it was his fault. His fault for not waiting. His fault for retreating defeated, back to the sleepy town of Tree Hill. His fault for not giving her the time that she'd needed. It was entirely his fault.

Then he'd tried to cover it up. Imitated the actions of a man left by the love of his life. He'd drank. That's when he'd made things worse. She'd brought him home. Removing his clothes slowly, helping him into bed. She pulled the covers over him and ran her fingers through his hair. She whispered her apologies. Whispered words wishing that he didn't have to go through this pain and softly kissed his temple. She let out a low sigh and then made her way back to the door, reaching her slender arm out to grasp the handle, and that's when he'd said it.

The lie. The singular biggest untruth he'd ever told in his life.

"Peyton…" he'd croaked. Groggy and still very much under the influence of his binge that night at the bar.

She turned to face him. Her green eyes locked on his blue ones. A small smile spread across her lips. And then he'd said it.

"I hate you."

He'd watched as her face fell. "What?" she choked out. He could see the tears brimming at the corners of her eyes as her face flushed. She didn't believe what she'd heard. She didn't believe it because she knew as well as he did that it was the farthest thing from the truth.

Still he'd pressed on. "I wish you'd never come back. You ruined my life…" he rolled over and snapped his eyes shut. Hoping that in some way by pressing his lids so tightly closed that the untruth would be ignored and he'd go back to that night in the hotel room those years ago and be sleeping next to Peyton.

His eyes snapped open. Ripping him away from his memory. He was back at the airport, clutching the phone in his hand. He stared at it. Peyton's name was highlighted and his finger hovered above the talk button. He pressed it and held the phone to his face. He listened to the steady rhythm of the ringing and then she answered.

"Hello?" her voice was like velvet, the texture soft one way and rough the other. He silently went over the words in his mind before uttering them aloud.

"Hey it's me…" He paused. "Look, I'm at the airport and I've got two tickets to Las Vegas. Do you want to get married tonight?"


	2. True Love Always

Peyton gripped the phone and closed her eyes afraid to open them for fear of waking up to a horrid realization that it was all

Peyton gripped the phone and closed her eyes afraid to open them for fear of waking up to a horrid realization that it was all just a dream, a mere figment of her imagination. Lucas listened to the steady rhythm of her breathing. "I'm dreaming." She whispered aloud to herself. "It's a dream. Just a dream. Wake up Peyton. Stop doing this to yourself." She ordered. "Even if it's not a dream… he can't be serious."

"No…" he replied as if she were speaking to him. "Peyton… I'm serious."

Peyton's eyes fluttered open and she loosened the death grip she had on the phone. Her fingers throbbed and pulsated. "Lucas…?" she finally said, her voice creaking with each syllable. "I…I don't… I don't know what to say…" she stammered.

He smiled. For the first time in a long time it reached his eyes. They glinted as the florescent light hit them, dazzling light blue pools. "Say yes." He said finally. "Come to the airport. I'm not making the same mistake twice. I won't leave again without you."

"Lucas…" she began. She inhaled sharply and sat down on the edge of the pool table. She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear before continuing. "It's not fair for you to joke with me like this… I don't… I can't take it and I want you to know I hate you for trying to pull something like that. I can't believe you think I would actually believe that after everything you'd just change your mind like that… you really must think I was born yesterday!" She sighed and shook her head as the tears formed at the edges of her green eyes, clouded and dark with emotion. "You of all people should know that I hate jokes especially ones that…"

"Peyton." He interjected. "Stop." He sighed. "I'm not joking. And I didn't just 'change my mind'." He paused and ran his free hand over his newly shorn hair. "When you asked me that night at Tric if I still loved you… I didn't answer you because I was afraid to admit that in the last 3 years, nothing has changed. Peyton… I still remember every second that I spent with you. I remember the way you're hair looks when the sun hits it in the morning. I remember the way you smell when you climb out of the shower and wrap a towel around you." He smiled at the memory. "Peyton, truth is, I do love you, I still love you, I never stopped." He articulated each word, each syllable as if it were his last.

She listened intently, all the while thinking about what Lindsey had said in the library. About each word that he'd written about her was carefully chosen, poured over and rewritten until they were perfect. As he explained his feelings and revisited memories she thought he would have long since forgotten, her lips curled into a smile.

She swallowed hard.

The tears brimmed and spilled over the edge of her eyes, droplets sticking to her lashes and streams of black running down her cheeks. "I never stopped either." She admitted. "Lucas… Yes. Yes of course I'll marry you. Tonight, tomorrow…" he paused. "I would have married you yesterday."

He nodded although he knew she couldn't see it. "Then marry me tonight." He said softly. "Come to the airport."

She bobbed her head up and down slowly. Her blonde hair shifted with the movement. "I'll be there. Ten minutes. Don't leave." She said quietly.

"True love always, right?" he questioned.

She smiled as she thought about the old black closet door in her childhood home. She nodded. "True love always." She agreed. "Ten minutes. I'll be seeing you." She flipped the phone shut and clutched it to her chest. Then the shocking realization hit her.

"Oh my god, I'm getting married." She said aloud to herself.

She rushed to her car. She'd thought of selling it and now as she slid across the seat and slammed the door, she was glad she'd changed her mind. If it hadn't been for the Comet, she may have never met Lucas. She may have never broken down on the side of the curling road that day. She may never have looked into those deep blue eyes and been able to see her future looking back at her.

She smiled and cranked the car.

Those ten minutes were the longest ten minutes of her life. She caught every red light on the way. As she pulled up at the very last light she cursed the red glow as it illuminated the darkness and reflected off of the hood of her car. She stared at it, praying for it to change to green.

The arrow flashed green and she smiled and turned into the airport parking lot and dipped into a free space near the entrance. She flew from the car and through the automatic doors. She searched the bustling crowd of people and that's when her eyes locked with his.

He stood and smiled. Her lips curled into a grin and she walked towards him, stopping barely a breath away from him.

"You came…" he said softly, lifting his hand to her face and caressing her cheek. He ran his thumb along her skin before dipping his hand to the back of her head and gripping her curls tightly in his hand. He closed the distance between their mouths, crushing her lips under his. Her hands trailed up his chest and snaked around his neck, she pulled him closer, her lips moving against his in the familiar motion.

It was as if the last three years had never happened. It was as if she'd said yes all those nights ago in Los Angeles.

He pulled away slightly, unable to release his grip on her. He tilted his forehead against hers, their noses still touching and her warm breath rushed against his still open lips. He smiled. "Peyton Sawyer will become Peyton Scott." He said softly.


	3. Up in the Air

Lucas watched silently as Peyton slept. Each rise and fall of her chest as she slumbered was carefully etched into his mind for safe keeping. She stirred a bit and turned her face away from the window and towards him. A smile crept across his lips as she mumbled his name in her sleep. They were three quarters through the nearly five hour flight and he'd spent the last hour watching intently as she slept. He'd been wondering what she was dreaming about up until she'd said his name aloud.

He brushed a curl away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. She stirred again and her eyes fluttered open. The golden flecks reflected the dim light in the small space. She smiled softly and gazed up at him with the deep green eyes he'd fallen in love with so long ago.

"I didn't mean to wake you…" he began. She shook her head, diverting the apology. "It's okay." She replied as she sat up in the seat and pulled off the blanket the attendant had supplied. "How much longer til we land?" she questioned.

He shrugged and looked at his watch. "About an hour I'd say. In a hurry to get somewhere?" he teased. She grinned and laugh lines creased the corners of her eyes. "Nowhere important."

He rolled his eyes and folded his arms and turned away from her playfully. "Oh I see how it is." She grinned and snaked her arm through his, pulling him back towards her. "I'm in a hurry to get to the most important moment of my life." She smiled. "I can't believe that I'll be getting married in a few hours."

He nodded and uncrossed his arms. He intertwined his fingers with hers and squeezed lightly. "Me either." He smiled. "Did you ever call Brooke?" he questioned.

Peyton bit her bottom lip and shook her head a little. "Not yet…" she admitted. "I wasn't sure what to say. I mean 'hey B. I just wanted to let you know that I'm about to get on a plane and go to Vegas to marry Luke. See you tomorrow.' Just didn't seem like the greatest way to break it to her."

He shook his head. "Well neither does 'hey Brooke, I got married last night and didn't tell you til now. Surprise!'" he replied. Peyton furrowed her brow. "Did you call Haley? Or Nathan, or your mom for that matter?" she questioned, turning his question against him.

He turned his head away from her and stared at the empty seat across from them. "Not exactly…" She seized his cheek in her hand and forced him to face her again. "Lucas Scott! How do you expect to get married and not tell any of them?!" she scolded. "I did, kinda sorta tell them…" he said softly.

Peyton raised her eyebrow. "How exactly do you 'kinda sorta' tell someone something?" she urged. "You either tell them, or you don't tell them. There's no way to kinda tell someone something."

He smiled a little. She'd seen the smile many times before and she knew he'd done something sneaky. "What?" she pressed. "What did you do to get around having to tell them in person or on the phone?"

He smiled again. "I waited til I knew they'd be asleep and I left Nate & Hales a message and I wrote mom a letter which I have to drop in the mail when we land." Peyton couldn't help but laugh. "You're mother is going to freak out." She said with a smile. "Dear Mom, How are you? How are Andy and Lilly? Hope everything is going well can't wait to see you. Love you, Love Lucas. P.S. By the way, me & Peyton got married tonight! See you soon."

He laughed too. "Peyton and I." he corrected. She rolled her eyes and nudged his arm with her hand. "Whatever. You know Haley is going to kill you when she finds out that you didn't tell her about this before hand."

He shrugged a little. "I think Brooke is going to be the one doing the killing." He replied. You haven't even told her about it. At least I called Haley. Peyton frowned. "I know, but if I call her, she's going to be pissed off first because I'll be waking her since it's like 3 in the morning and second because I didn't tell her before I left."

He raised an eyebrow. "You didn't even call her and tell her you were coming to see me or anything?" he questioned. Peyton shook her head. "No… You called… and then I thought you were joking and when I realized you weren't I just grabbed my purse and headed to the airport…" she admitted. Crimson cascaded across her cheeks and she lowered her eyes.

Lucas reached over her to the airplane phone and handed it to her. "You have to tell her now or she's going to be more mad."

Peyton nodded. "I guess you're right. Now's better than later." She released his hand and dialed Brooke's number, listening quietly and fearfully as each ring echoed in her ears.

After two rings, fright overcame her and she quickly hung up the phone. Lucas shook his head and dialed Brooke's number again. "Hey Brooke, it's Lucas, sorry about that hang up, there was some turbulence." He paused for her response. "Yeah, turbulence… I'm on a plane."

"A PLANE?!" Brooke shrieked, loud enough for Peyton to make out her words clearly, even with the foot of space between her and the receiver. Luke grimaced and pulled the phone away from his ear a bit. "Yeah, I'm… well Peyton and I are on our way to Vegas."

"VEGAS?! What the hell do you plan on doing in Vegas?!" she screamed. Lucas smiled a bit. "Well, I'll let Peyton tell you all about it." He said as he handed Peyton the phone. She covered the receiver with her hand. "I hate you." She mouthed. He smiled. "If you hated me, you wouldn't be marrying me." He replied softly.

She tried her best to make an angry face but couldn't help but let the smile show through. "PEYTON?!" Brooke shrieked. "Brooke, calm down, I'm here." Peyton said finally. "What the hell are you doing on a plane? And why with Lucas? And why to Vegas. Oh my god! You're going to marry him aren't you?! Jesus are you pregnant?! Peyton Sawyer, you tramp!"

Peyton rolled her eyes and Lucas tried to stifle the laugh that was forming in his throat. Brooke's shrill rasps could be heard echoing in the cabin. "Brooke, yes, I'm marrying him…" she paused and before Brooke could squeal again she cut her off. "Shut up and let me finish. I'm not pregnant, I'm sorry I didn't tell you before I left. I'm not a tramp. And Haley & Nathan won't know until they hear the message Luke left on their answering machine. Feel special you were the first to know."

She took a deep breath and waited for Brooke's response. She was expecting a lecture or at least an angry outburst but Brooke's words to her best friend surprised even Peyton.


	4. Secrets among Friends

**_A/N:_**

I just wanted to let you guys know how much I appreciate all your kind words in your reviews :D. I decided to go ahead and write another chapter tonight. It's not very long, and I hope you like where I'm going with the story. Please note that the story is rated M for mature and will be getting pretty graphic in the next few chapters. Also, I know things are running pretty smoothly for Lucas & Peyton so far, but there will be drama. Oh how there will be drama :D.

Thanks you guys. So without further ado, here's the next installment.

* * *

"I already knew." Brooke said after a moment.

Peyton was dumbfounded. "What do you mean you already knew?" She questioned, glancing over at Lucas who was already grinning like a child at Christmas.

Brooke laughed. "I already knew. Lucas called me right after he saw you're drawing at the River Court." Peyton blushed a bit, remembering the elaborate detailed portrait of her infatuation she'd left emblazoned across the court of Lucas' home away from home.

"I actually wasn't sleeping." Brooke continued. "I'm already in Vegas. I flew out a couple hours before you guys and booked the hotel room for you and Luke and a separate one for me. Did you think that Lucas would be stupid enough to let you get out of Tree Hill and run off to be married without your very best friend in the whole entire world?" she questioned.

Peyton looked again at Lucas who was still grinning. "You're an ass." She hissed. He nodded. "But you love me for it." He replied. "What about Haley?" She questioned. "If Brooke's gonna be at the Wedding and Haley finds out she is gonna be hurt Luke… she's your best friend."

"Oh don't worry about Tutor Mom." Brooke replied before Luke got the chance. "I snatched her and Nathan up on my way to the airport. Skills decided he'd much rather sleep than trek out to Nevada on a whim so Jamie's staying there til everyone gets back." Peyton narrowed her eyes and looked over at Lucas again. "You had this all planned out didn't you?" She questioned.

Lucas smiled again. "Guilty as charged." He admitted. "But you said you left Haley a message…" she continued accusingly. "I did before I called Brooke." Peyton rolled her eyes and let out a deep breath. "Just be happy soon to be Mrs. Scott." Brooke said in her raspy voice. "In less than two hours you're going to be celebrating your wedding night." She teased. "And please, I have the room next to yours so try your best to be quiet while you're screwing Luke's brains out. I know you guys are waaay over due for some make up sex."

"Brooke!" Peyton scolded. "What?! You know you can't wait to get Broody over there naked again." Peyton blushed. "I'm hanging up now." Brooke laughed. "See you soon P. Sawyer." She said and then hung up.

Peyton sat the phone back down and turned to face her blue eyed blonde. "You had all this set up?" she began. "What if I would have said no?" she questioned.

"You wouldn't have." He attested. "True love always remember?" She couldn't help but smile. "You really better be glad that I love you…" she said leaning her head against his shoulder and resting her hand on his chest. "Otherwise you'd have Haley, Nate & Brooke hanging out in Vegas for no reason."

Lucas smiled and ran his fingers through her hair. "So, what did Brooke say that made you yell at her?" he questioned.

Peyton blushed and was thankful that he couldn't see her face from the way she was positioned. "Oh nothing…" she said. "She was just wondering what our… wedding night plans were."

Lucas smiled. "And what are our wedding night plans?" he asked. Peyton smiled and leaned back so she could face him. "Making up for lost time." She replied simply. "I've spent the last 4 years wishing that I would wake up and be back in that hotel room with you, remembering how it felt to be close to you… and now… we can have it."

He nodded. "Now we can have it."

He cradled her chin in his hand and pulled her face slowly towards him. He pressed his lips against hers and she inhaled sharply as if a shock had been sent coursing through her veins. Each kiss with Lucas was like the first and yet so much more.

He bit her bottom lip lightly, sucking it into his mouth slowly, tracing the contours with his tongue. He released it and ran his tongue along the crease of her pout, slowly parting her lips with it and exploring her mouth. He ran his hand up her thigh, lightly across her arm and firmly grasped a handful of her thick curls, pulling them. He smiled against her lips as she moaned softly into his mouth.

She pulled away; her lips still parted slightly, flushed red from exertion. "We can't do this here…" she said defeated. "If we keep going at it like that, I'm going to rip your clothes off right here and take advantage of you in front of god and everybody…" she said softly, her voice seductive and her lips barely a breath from his. Each movement, each word, sent a warm wave of air against his mouth.

He bit his bottom lip a little and nodded. He loved it when she talked that way. He could feel his cock pressing eagerly against the stiff material in his jeans and he forced himself to think sad thoughts in order to quiet the urge that was clearly visible through the blue denim.

"Just wait til I get you in that hotel room…" he whispered.

Peyton cocked an eyebrow. "Is that a threat?" she teased, running her hand slowly up his thigh, stopping painfully close to the bulge. Lucas shook his head firmly. "It's a promise…" he replied.

She smiled and pulled her hand away from his leg. "Well if I'm going to be getting married in a few hours, I better get rested up." She leaned her head against the window and pulled the blanket up to her chin, closing her eyes all but a mere sliver so she could still make out Lucas' face. Lucas rolled his eyes and adjusted his pants a bit. A smile drifted across Peyton's lips and she slowly fell again into a peaceful slumber.


	5. How does it feel?

**_A/N: Hey guys. Again I just wanted to let you know how much I've appreciated your words and reviews. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, though not much really happens. I think it was needed to push the story along and to explain some more things from Lucas' POV as requested by a reader._**

**_I noticed as well as the reader who suggested Lucas' POV being made more obvious, that lately he's been pretty much emotionless. We haven't really figured out what he's thinking because he hasn't let anyone in._**

Let me know what you think! And don't worry, more chapters will be on the way.

Also if you'd like to get in touch with me, you're more than welcome to message me on AIM at: suddenlybroody

"Peyton…?" Lucas said, gently shaking her shoulder.

Her eyes sprang open and she looked up into his as a smile spread across his face and the corners of his mouth crinkled. "Morning sleeping beauty." He said, moving his fingers to her face and brushing a stray strand of golden blonde away from her forehead. "We just landed."

She sat up, reaching her arms over her head to stretch and smiled softly. "It wasn't a dream…" she murmured. He shook his head. "Nope, I hate to break it to you, but you're stuck with me."

Peyton smiled and reached down, her hands grazing over the metallic square harnessing her in. She pressed the button to release herself and stood up. "Is Brooke meeting us?" She questioned. He nodded and reached above them to remove his bag from the overhead storage compartment.

It was then that it hit her. She hadn't packed anything. No clothes, no shoes, no shampoo or other essentials. Her face fell and she opened her mouth to speak. Lucas shook his head and smiled a little at her expression. "Brooke packed you clothes." He assured her. "She didn't wanna let you walk around Vegas naked." He grinned. "I however, wouldn't have minded so much." He teased.

She hit his arm and he pulled it away as he draped his bag over his shoulder. "Hey now, I'm not planning on being a battered husband." He rubbed the contact point and made a face. "Damn you have a right hook on you."

She smiled. "Well in a way, that's your fault." She began. "If you hadn't of gone to all that trouble to get Derek to come check up on me, then I wouldn't have learned how to defend myself, now would I have?"

He smiled a half smile as she walked in front of him and down the aisle. Following slowly behind he couldn't help but think back to that meeting with Derek. He hadn't wanted to return, he didn't think he had any ties to Peyton. What if he'd never been able to convince him otherwise? Would Peyton still be here?

He shuddered at the thought, trying to push it away from his mind. When Ian had returned she was ready. She was a fighter. Part of him wanted to believe that Peyton Sawyer was already a fighter, but she was afraid. She'd lived in fear until Derek had come to the rescue, showing her that she had more inside of her than a scared, defenseless little girl. If he'd never come back, If Lucas hadn't said what he'd said, Peyton may not have made it out of her house alive.

Peyton grabbed his hand, jolting him from his memories. "Baby?" she questioned, her eyes filled with concern. "You okay? You look like you saw a ghost." She stared up at him, the emerald orbs searching his blue pools for any sign of what he was thinking.

He nodded. "I'm fine, just thinking about something…" his tone told her not to delve any father. She nodded too and they hopped off the plane. They both turned as Brooke squealed in excitement. She was holding up a large sign. "Soon to be Newlyweds!" emblazoned across it in huge black letters. She dropped the sign and ran over to Peyton, enveloping her in a firm hug. "My girls getting married!" she rasped.

Haley and Nathan weren't too far behind her. Nathan stuck out his hand, wrapping his fingers around Lucas' extended palm and pulling his broody sibling into a hug. He patted his back and pulled away. "Well big brother, how's it feel to be going down the road of holy matrimony?" he said with a grin, flashing his pearly whites.

"Oh stop it!" Haley said with a smile, linking her arm through her husbands and giving her best friend a quick hug with her free arm. "Peyton and Lucas have been practically married since the day they met anyway." She laughed.

Peyton managed to release Brooke's death grip on her and joined the rest of the group. "Well Mrs. Scott, we're gonna have the same last name soon." She laughed. Brooke frowned and stuck out her bottom lip. "I feel out of the loop." She sighed. "I'm going to be the only one that isn't a Scott."

"Well, you could always marry Dan." Nathan retorted. Brooke scrunched up her nose. "Ew, God, spare me. Come on. I've got less than an hour to make Peyton even more gorgeous than she already is." She yanked Peyton away from the group and towards the airport exits.

Lucas smiled as he watched the girls disappear into the crowd. "How's it feel?" Nathan questioned again. "I mean, we all knew you guys would end up together in the end, but what's running through your mind now? Now that everything's really happening for the two of you?"

Haley smiled and pulled Nathan closer. "Yeah, Luke, how does it feel?" Lucas smiled and looked off at the blonde mess of curls until he couldn't make her frame out anymore. "It feels…" he began, turning his attention on his best friend and his brother. "It feels like everything I've ever wanted in my life is finally falling into place." A smile crept across his lips and squinted his eyes a bit, deep in thought.

"It's like all my mistakes, all the stupid things that I've done… everything I've put her through in the last few months…" he paused again. "Hell, the entire time I've known her… it's like none of that mattered. She sees me ya know, the real me. The me that I pretend not to be." He sighed. "It's… indescribable."

Haley smiled again and looked up at Nathan. "I think I know exactly what you mean…" she said softly. Nathan nodded in agreement. "Yeah, me too." He grinned and kissed the top of Haley's head. "Well, we better get going before Brooke freaks out and sends a search party. Don't want her to think you're getting cold feet."

Lucas laughed and adjusted the bag on his shoulder. He nodded and the trio followed the masses towards the exit.


	6. Wedding Day Bliss

"Just one more thing…" Brooke said as she finished dabbing the crimson gloss across Peyton's pouted lips. "Oh Brooke, come on, you have me dressed up like I'm heading off to a… to a…" she stammered.

"To you're wedding?" Brooke supplied. Peyton clamped her mouth shut. There was no use with arguing. Brooke twisted the top back on the bottle of gloss and stuffed it into the bag she had sitting on the counter. She pulled out a small bag and handed it to her best friend of nearly her entire life.

"What's this?" Peyton questioned, looking suspiciously at the little white bag in her palm. "Open it…" Brooke said softly. Peyton raised an eyebrow and poured the contents out onto her palm.

A small silver chain with a locket attached and a smooth blue stone rested on her pale skin. She looked up confused as she lifted the chain. "How did you get this?" She questioned.

Brooke smiled a weak smile. "I called your dad and had the locket over-nighted here. You're getting married Peyton… something old… It was your moms. The stone is blue, the bag is new and the clothes are borrowed." She wiped the corner of her eye. "I promised myself I wouldn't cry but… my best friend is about to get married." He voice quaked with each word.

Peyton's lips trembled and she pulled Brooke into a hug. "Oh Brooke, thank you…" she whispered softly. "What are best friends for?" Brooke replied, pulling away and wiping her eyes again. "We are not going to mess up our make up." She said firmly. "Not yet at least… we still have to make it through the ceremony and everything."

Peyton smiled. "I'm getting married Brooke…" she said softly. "To Lucas…" She let out a breath. "I can't believe that after everything, after all the drama, the tears… we're still gonna be together in the end."

Brooke laughed, the silvery sound echoed around the hotel bathroom. "Peyton, you and Lucas are meant to be together. You know that, I know that and whether he'll admit it or not, he's known it all along too."

Peyton smiled. "Well, I guess it's now or never right?" she said putting the locket around her neck and slipping the stone back into the small bag and looking around for somewhere to put it.

Brooke had loaned her a silky white dress which showed off her slender figure. It clung to her hips and the hem ended just above her knees showing off her legs. Brooke smiled and stuffed the bag into Peyton's bra. "You can always use some extra padding." She teased. Peyton rolled her eyes and turned to face the mirror.

Brooke smiled and rested her head on Peyton's shoulder. "You're beautiful…" she whispered, the warmth of her breath cascading across her skin. Peyton smiled softly at the reflection of herself in the mirror. Her curls were tight and flowing around her face, her make up perfectly applied and the dab of perfume on her neck filling the room.

She reached for Brooke's hand and squeezed it tightly. "Time to go get my man." She whispered. Brooke nodded and they emerged from the bathroom. Haley was sitting on the edge of the double bed. She glanced up and her mouth dropped as she jumped up from her perch.

"Wow… Peyton… You're… you're…" she stammered.

"Gorgeous?" Brooke completed her unfinished sentence. "She is isn't she? Amazing what's under all that angst!" she teased. Peyton playfully slapped her. "Where are the boys?" she questioned.

"They're at the chapel." Haley answered. "We're supposed to meet them there. Don't want Luke seeing the bride before the wedding." Brooke nodded. "Well let's get going, what are we standing around for? We've got a wedding to get to." She smiled and they headed out of the hotel room.

Lucas paced nervously in the waiting room of the chapel. The muffled sounds of the preacher reciting the verses to the couple ahead of him could barely be made out through the wall. Nathan looked up at him from his seat near the wall.

"Dude, you really need to calm down." He told Lucas. Lucas stopped pacing and turned towards him. He threw his hands up in the air. "Calm down? Are you serious? I just asked the girl I've loved pretty much my whole life to marry me and now we're getting married less than twenty-four hours later and…" he paused long enough to glance down at his watch. "She's running late…" he sighed.

"Lucas. She'll be here." Nathan assured his brother. "You love her, she loves you. That's all that matters right?" he got up and patted his brother on the shoulder. "Don't worry so much okay? She'll be here."

Lucas sighed. "I guess you're right." He admitted. "I'm just… worried that she'll realize I'm an ass and that I've done nothing in the past few months to show her otherwise…"

Nathan sighed. "You are an ass, but so am I, and Haley loves me anyways." He replied. "It's been Peyton and Lucas since high school, that's never going to change. You guys are always going to find your way to each other… this proves it. You're getting married man, in like half an hour." He smiled.

"Lucas?" Peyton breathed.

Nathan and Lucas snapped their heads in the direction of her voice and their mouths dropped open. "Wow…" Lucas mumbled breathlessly. "You look… amazing…"

Peyton's cheeks flushed with crimson. "I do amazing work." Brooke laughed proudly.

The doors opened and the previous couple exited as a few attendants threw rice at them. The bride smiled and the groom laughed as he held her close and left the building. Lucas and Peyton watched them leave and then glanced at each other. He linked his fingers through hers and they entered the chapel and walked towards the altar. "That's going to be us…" he smiled.

Peyton nodded and a huge smile formed across her face, the corners of her eyes crinkling. Brooke, Haley and Nathan trailed in after them and took their places on either side of the couple. The reverend smiled at them.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join…" he looked down at his paper. "Lucas Eugene Scott…" Lucas grimaced at the sound of his middle name. "And Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer in Holy Matrimony."

They turned towards each other and linked their hands together. "The bride and groom have decided to write their own vows…" he motioned for Peyton to begin.

Peyton smiled softly. "Lucas, you've changed my life…" she began. "You've seen me through the best of times… and the worst. You've helped me to learn to believe in art and music and love, even when I couldn't see the light in any of it. Someone once told me that just because you know the song is going to end doesn't mean that you can't enjoy the music… and I believe that, but I also believe that without you, there isn't any music at all…" a single tear slid down her cheek. "You told me that my art mattered, that it got you here…" she smiled. "And I want you to know that my art wouldn't even exist without you… You are my art…"

Lucas smiled and the reverend nodded towards him. "Peyton… From the day that I saw you, I knew you were my forever. I couldn't imagine seeing myself with anyone else. I couldn't see myself looking into anyone else's eyes and seeing everything that I see when I look into yours. I always wanted to write, it was always my dream, but if you didn't exist in my life, there would be no words for me to put down on paper… no dreams to make come true. You asked me once who I wanted next to me when all my dreams came true, and now… my dream is coming true. You are my dream…"

Tears brimmed at the corners of his eyes. Brooke and Haley whimpered and wiped their faces. Nathan beamed. The reverend smiled and looked down at his book. "By the powers vested in me by the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride…"

Lucas smiled and brushed his hands across her cheeks, wiping the tears away with his thumbs. "I love you Peyton Sawyer…" he said with a smile. "Peyton Scott…" she corrected. He grinned and pressed his lips to hers. "Finally!" Nathan, Haley and Brooke chorused.

Lucas and Peyton broke the kiss and smiled at the group. "You act like you've been waiting for years for this to happen." Lucas teased. The attendants began tossing rice and Lucas linked his fingers through Peyton's. "Now it's time for the honeymoon." He laughed as they walked out the door.


	7. Alls fair in Love & War

**_A/N: Okay, the much awaited honeymoon love scene._**

I just wanted to put in a word or two letting you guys know that this scene is super provocative and very descriptive and blunt. If you don't want to read a story that has mature scenes written into it, I advise that you don't read this chapter.

Comments as always are lovely and the drama starts brewing soon :D.

**_Happy reading!_**

* * *

Peyton wrapped her slender arms around Lucas' neck. "Luke…" she began. "You really don't have to carry me, I can walk ya know."

He smiled. "What fun is that? I'm supposed to carry you across the threshold." He teased. She laughed. "Yeah, threshold, but this is a hotel room." She said as he made his way toward their room. He rolled his eyes and fumbled to slide the card into the door without dropping her. It flashed green and the lock popped. He nudged it with his hip and walked in, kicking it closed.

She grinned and reached over to lock it. "Well Mr. Scott, here we are…" her eyes lit up. His lips curled upward into a smirk and he walked over to the bed, sitting her on the edge of it. He nodded. "Yes Mrs. Scott…" he replied in a whisper.

"Well… what should we do now?" she teased, raising an eyebrow and leaning back onto her palms, the movement tightening the thin material across her chest. He bent down, a hand on either side of her and his face barely a breath from hers. "You tell me…" he whispered seductively, his warm breath flowing across her lips and sending chills down her spine.

She leaned centimeters closer, closing fractions of the gap until their lips nearly touched. He parted his and moved forward to dissolve the distance completely but she dodged his face and reached for the remote that lay behind her on the bed. "Cartoons?" she said flipping the television on.

He reached for the remote and turned it back off, then flung the controller to the ground. "Maybe later…" She smiled. "Oh… something else you wanted to do?" she teased. She leaned forward, pressing her hands lightly against his chest. She ran them up to his shoulders, pressing harder against the thin blue cotton. Her fingers snaked across his collar and to the back of his head, pulling him closer.

She let her lips hover close to his. Brushing ever so lightly, savoring each movement. His lips parted again, begging to be satisfied with a kiss. "You want me don't you?" she whispered, her fingers moving in small circles against his blonde buzzed hair.

He nodded eagerly, still trying to close the gap between their mouths. His black dress pants pulled tight against his already hard cock. She smiled seductively, letting her lips glide across his once more. "Show me how much…" she pleaded.

He loved when she spoke that way, her velvet voice sent shivers down his spine and he could no longer stand the teasing. He crushed his mouth against hers, forcing her back on the bed. Lucas gripped her hand with his, twining their fingers together and pinning hers above her head. A small moan escaped her lips and the sound caused his pants to tighten even more against his throbbing member.

He ran his tongue across her bottom lip and dipped it into her mouth, exploring every inch. She arched her back forcing her pelvis up against his and it was his turn to let out a moan. She tightened her fingers around his hands and moved her tongue more ferociously against his. He moved her hands together, pressing them both down with one of his.

With his newly free hand, he traced the contours of her body. Down her cheek and between her taut breasts, then across her firm stomach and over her thighs to the hem of the dress. He moved his mouth to her neck, biting it relentlessly. She opened her mouth and let out a pleased moan, struggling against his firm grip on her hands.

He dipped his right hand beneath the silky material and ran his fingers up her thigh, expertly locating her panties. He moved his mouth to her collarbone and kissed her gently, moving his mouth slowly against her pale skin. She arched her back forcing herself against his large hand.

He hooked his finger around her panties and slid them down her thighs, letting them come to rest just above her knees. He shifted the attention of his mouth to hers, biting her bottom lip, sucking and pulling it. She whimpered in pleasure. His fingers trailed back under her dress, moving skillfully to her already wet pussy.

He pressed his thumb to her clit, rubbing it in slow skillful circles. She gasped and he moved his mouth away from hers to look into her eyes. He loved watching the faces she made as he pleasured her. Her mouth was wide open in enjoyment, her eyes full of ecstasy.

He slipped his middle finger into her throbbing pussy and she arched her back, shoving herself against him. He thrusted his finger in and out of her, rubbing her clit faster. She squirmed under his touch, her body aching for more. "God… Luke…" she whispered. "Mmmm…"

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her. He moved his lips down her neck to her collarbone, still moving his fingers slowly in and out. He released her hands and moved his left hand down to her breast. He kneaded it, keeping time with his right hands movements. She moved her hands to the back of his head, running her fingers across it, trying her best to grip the short buzzed hair.

He moved his hand away from her breast and down to the hem of her dress, hiking it up to her waist. He pulled his other hand away slowly and pulled her panties off completely. He raised her right leg, kissing her ankle and pulling off her heel. He raised her left foot and did the same.

He ran his hands up either leg, from calf, to knee, to thigh. Shivers coursed through her body, goose bumps forming on her skin. He moved his mouth to her thigh kissing slowly up to her pussy which was already dripping wet with anticipation. He parted her lips with his thumbs and slowly licked her clit. She jerked her head back against the pillows and arched her back, forcing her pussy into his face.

He obliged her needs, sucking furiously on her enlarged clit. She wrapped her legs across his shoulders, pulling him closer to her. He flicked his tongue against her clit, moving in fast circled. She jerked and squirmed in pleasure, her juices flowing against his mouth. He dipped his tongue into her pussy, thrusting it in and out, sopping up the taste of her.

Her fingers grasped the material of his shirt, grasping handfuls. "Oh, God… Lucas…." She whimpered. He looked up at her, his eyes blue spheres in the darkness. "Lucas… I want you to fuck me…" she muttered.

His cock bulged against his pants, begging to be set free. He pulled away slowly, moving his hands to the buttons of his shirt. He fumbled with them for a moment and then Peyton leaned up and ripped the shirt open, revealing his bare, sculpted chest. She slid her fingers down it admiringly, and then moved her fingertips up to his shoulders, removing the shirt completely, letting it fall to the ground.

He slid his hand behind her, moving the zipper down tantalizingly slow. He pulled the dress up over her head, revealing her perky white breasts. She hadn't worn a bra, and her nipples were hard, begging to be touched. He moved his mouth to her right nipple, biting it and sucking slowly. She moaned and moved her hand to her other breast, pinching her nipple between her thumb and forefinger. Her mouth dropped open and he fumbled with his belt buckle, pulling the clamp open and yanking it off with one fluid motion. She moved her fingers to his pants, undoing the button and sliding the zipper down.

He leaned back, kicking his shoes off and pulling his pants and boxers down at the same time. His cock stood fully erect, drops of precum glistening at the head. Peyton bit her bottom lip as he climbed on the bed, straddling her as she leaned back against the pillows. He moved his hand down the side of her face, his body hovering above hers, and brushed the curls away from her cheek. "I love you, you know that right?" he whispered.

She nodded slowly, her breath catching in her throat as a single tear slid down her cheek, flowing across her face and into her mess of curls. He moved his lips to her cheek, kissing away the salt water trail. He moved his other hand between then, adjusting himself against her opening. "I'm never going to leave you again…" he promised. She nodded and moved her hand down slowly, grasping his cock. He let out a moan and moved his hand up to the bed to steady himself.

She moved his cock against herself, slowly inching him into her. She moved her hand away and wrapped her legs loosely around his waist. "Make love to me Lucas…" she pleaded. "Make love to me…"

He pushed himself inside of her, both gasping with the sudden intense pleasure. They'd forgotten what it felt like to be with each other. He rocked his body against hers, his mouth open slightly. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and slowly pulled it. She arched her back, giving him better entrance and moaned with each thrust. "Mmmm." She muttered, her hands moving to his back and her legs wrapping tighter around his body. "Luke…" she moaned.

He quickened his pace, his mouth came down hard against hers, crushing her lips beneath his and prying her mouth open anxiously. He rubbed his tongue against hers, and then sucked it slowly. He moved his hand down to her breast, squeezing it softly, and then pinched her nipple between his fingers. She gasped into his mouth, and he quickened his pace again, bucking against her violently. "Oh, Luke…" she screamed, her voice echoing off the walls and exciting him more.

He pulled himself nearly all the way out of her then slowly slid back in, teasing her a bit. Then he returned to his semi fast pace. He slid his hand down between them and rubbed her clit fast. She squirmed and rocked against his hand and body. "Luke, I'm gonna cum…" she moaned. "Cum with me…" she looked up into his eyes and jerked her head back into the pillow, her body shook and her pussy clenched, squeezing his cock.

He trusted once more, hard and released, his body convulsing violently. He spilled himself inside of her and leaned his head back, jerking again. He thrusted into her again and collapsed on top of her.

They lay connected in a flood of emotion until their breathing had returned to normal. She looked up at him and smiled softly. "Luke… I love you…" she whispered. "I always have…" He ran his fingers across her cheek and to her lips and he kissed her softly. "I love you to Peyton…" he murmured.

His cell phone sounded from his pants pocket and he sighed as he pulled away, annoyed. "I knew I should have turned it off." He sighed. He dug through his pants pocket to find the phone. He looked at the caller ID and frowned. Peyton wrapped the sheet around her and walked over to him. "What's wrong? Who is it?" She questioned. He held up the phone.

"LINDSEY." It read.


	8. Trouble in Paradise

Lucas sighed and rolled his eyes, plopping down on the edge of the bed, the phone still ringing. Peyton sat beside him. "Are you going to answer it?" she questioned.

"What for? Why do I need to talk to her? I have absolutely nothing to say to her." He fumed. "She's still your editor… no matter how much things have changed between you guys she does kinda control your book. Shouldn't you at least see what she wants?" she said quietly. Each word felt like knives stabbing into her. She didn't like Lindsey, it was no secret. Truth was she just wanted to know what she wanted.

"Fine… I'll answer…" he sighed and flipped the phone open. "Lindsey? Hey… I'm kinda busy right now, can we make this quick?" he questioned. His brow furrowed as Lindsey spoke. His expression fell and his mouth opened a little as if he was going to speak but no words came out. Peyton studied his face, trying to make out the expression, wondering if it were pain or discomfort, anger perhaps. The more she looked at him, the more it changed, morphing from one emotion to another.

"That's impossible…" he finally uttered. "There's no way that something like that could have happened…" he paused for Lindsey's response. "You're lying. There's no way…" he replied. He listened again to her answer. "Even if it is true, why didn't you tell me sooner? Do you have any idea where I am?" he questioned, anger clearly evident in his rising voice. "Lindsey. I'm in Vegas. I just got married a couple of hours ago."

Peyton cringed a bit wondering what Lindsey's response would be, curious as to what it was Lucas thought she was lying about. "Baby?" she questioned, putting her hand on his shoulder. He looked over at her, a clear mutation of confusion and despair clouding his eyes. "What's wrong?" she questioned.

He held up a finger, silencing her for a moment. "Lindsey, I can't handle this right now. I have to go. Please don't call me again." He muttered. He flipped his phone shut. Lindsey's muffled response quickly cut off by the snapping sound it made. Peyton searched his eyes again. "What was that all about?" She questioned. "Did something go wrong with the book or something? I mean if you need to hop on a plane to fix some issues, it's totally okay with me…" she said, standing up.

He reached for her arm, stopping her in her tracks. He pulled her back down to sit on the bed again. "Peyton…" he began, his eyes squinting and his brow furrowing into deep set wrinkles. "Lucas… you're scaring me. Out with it. Come on, it can't be that bad can it?" she questioned.

He nodded. "It can be that bad Peyton." He replied, his voice cracking slightly. He ran his fingers through his shaved hair. "Lindsey…" he paused trying to arrange the words he dreaded to speak. "She says she's pregnant."

Peyton's mouth dropped open. "No seriously. What did she say?" she questioned. Lucas' eyes locked on hers. "I'm serious… that's what she said…"

"What…" Peyton muttered. "You can't be serious…"

"She does have amazing timing doesn't she?" he muttered, anger flaring in his voice again. Peyton was dumbfounded. She sat silently for a moment. "What are you going to do?" she questioned. He shrugged. "I don't know…" he admitted.

"You don't know…?" she repeated, shaking her head slightly. A tear slipped down her cheek and he pulled her into a hug. "Oh, Peyton, I didn't mean it like that. I know I'm not going to just walk away from you…" he sighed. "You're my wife…" he pulled away slightly and looked into her eyes.

"I think she's lying. There's no possible way for her to be pregnant." He said softly, wiping the tear away. "Why would she lie?" Peyton questioned. "She has no reason to lie about… about something that huge… Lucas… if she's pregnant… you've… you've got to…" she stammered.

"I've got to what?" he questioned, furrowing his brow again. "I've got to run back to her with my tail between my legs? And where does that leave you?" he questioned. "Lucas…" she muttered, but he cut her off. "No, even if she is pregnant, I've made my decision, I've done what my heart has been telling me to do since the day I saw you… I love you Peyton, not Lindsey." He sighed. "If she's pregnant, I'll take care of my responsibilities. I'm not Dan." He muttered. "But I'm not going to spend my life with a woman I don't want to be with."

Peyton nodded slowly. "But where do we go from here…?" she questioned.

He sighed and shook his head. "I don't know Peyton… I really don't know…"


End file.
